There is a new normal in the world today, and I don't think it's God's normal. That was predicted. In the last days, God's normal will definitely not be our normal.

In the book of Romans, Paul describes man's continuous fall and God's frustration at our behavior, or lack thereof. It seems mankind has always been looking for a new normal that is not a God-normal. Sinning is fun; rules are not.

In describing this time, the last days, Paul defines God's actions toward us, or those who happen to be around when the last days appear. Paul said this:

"Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever

"Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

"Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:24-32 NIV

So what is the new normal?

The new, progressive normal not only pertains to lifestyle but also to our interpretation of the Quran and the religion of Islam. The Islamic apologists preach to us about how open-minded our founding fathers were when it came to Islam. Jefferson had a Quran, so he had to be pro-Islam. He was not.

John Adams, 2nd president of the U.S., owned a Quran and wrote the following in the preface:

This book is a long conference of God, the angels, and Mahomet, which that false prophet very grossly invented; sometimes he introduceth God, who speaketh to him, and teacheth him his law, then an angel, among the prophets, and frequently maketh God to speak in the plural. ... Thou wilt wonder that such absurdities have infected the best part of the world, and wilt avouch, that the knowledge of what is contained in this book, will render that law contemptible ...

He went on to say, "The precept of the Koran is perpetual war against all who deny, that Mahomet is the prophet of God. The vanquished may purchase their lives, by the payment of tribute; the victorious may be appeased by a false and delusive promise of peace; and the faithful follower of the prophet, may submit to the imperious necessities of defeat: but the command to propagate the Moslem creed by the sword is always obligatory, when it can be made effective. The commands of the prophet may be performed alike, by fraud, or by force."

John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams and 6th president, had this to say about Islam:

"In the seventh century of the Christian era, a wandering Arab of the lineage of Hagar, the Egyptian, combining the powers of transcendent genius, with the preternatural energy of a fanatic, and the fraudulent spirit of an impostor, proclaimed himself as a messenger from Heaven, and spread desolation and delusion over an extensive portion of the earth. Adopting from the sublime conception of the Mosaic law, the doctrine of one omnipotent God; he connected indissolubly with it, the audacious falsehood, that he was himself his prophet and apostle. Adopting from the new Revelation of Jesus, the faith and hope of immortal life, and of future retribution, he humbled it to the dust, by adapting all the rewards and sanctions of his religion to the gratification of the sexual passion. He poisoned the sources of human felicity at the fountain, by degrading the condition of the female sex, and the allowance of polygamy; and he declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind. THE ESSENCE OF HIS DOCTRINE WAS VIOLENCE AND LUST: TO EXALT THE BRUTAL OVER THE SPIRITUAL PART OF HUMAN NATURE."

The problems that America and the rest of the world faces with Islam is not new.

Thomas Jefferson, who the apologists claim favored Islam but was hardly the case, finally went to war with the Barbary pirates, the Islamic Barbary Pirates, to prevent them from attacking American shipping and taking the Christian crew as slaves. Doesn't that sound peaceful?

Islamic State today continues with the Islamic tradition of enslavement, especially of women and children; and one can read about it most any day in the news. Islamic terror raises its ugly head almost daily someplace in the world. There are so many attacks, they are sometimes relegated to the back pages of the newspaper. Terrorism has become the new normal. Yet the apologists try to convince us that Islamic State has hijacked the religion. Not true. They are living the religion.

Thomas Jefferson rejected the idea of raising a Navy, but he changed his mind because of the Barbary Pirates working off the coast of north Africa. When Jefferson finally built and sent a naval squadron to the Mediterranean, the Muslims ran as they usually do when confronted with force, apparently the only thing many of that mindset understand. We should pay attention to that. Jefferson won the war with the Barbary Pirates, the Muslims abandoned Tripoli; and the shores of Tripoli became a part of the US Marine Corps Hymn.

There probably wouldn't be a new normal if mankind would learn from history, but we do not. Had we listened to Alexis de Tocqueville, had we read his historical writings in the early 1800s, the world would not have our collective heads stuck so far into the sand.

"I would never regard Islam with anything but horror and fear because it is fundamentally committed to conquering the world for Islam... it is, I think, best described in a Marxian way as the uniting and justifying ideology of Arab imperialism. Between the New Testament and the Qur'an there is (as it is customary to say when making such comparisons) no comparison. Whereas markets can be found for books on reading the Bible as literature, to read the Qur'an is a penance rather than a pleasure. There is no order or development in its subject matter.... The Prophet, though gifted in the arts of persuasion and clearly a considerable military leader, was both doubtfully literate and certainly ill-informed about the contents of the Old Testament and about several matters of which God, if not even the least informed of the Prophet's contemporaries, must have been cognizant... one thing I'll say in this comparison is that, for goodness sake, Jesus is an enormously attractive charismatic figure, which the Prophet of Islam most emphatically is not.

"I studied the Quran a great deal. I came away from that study with the conviction that by and large there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as that of Muhammad. As far as I can see, it is the principal cause of the decadence so visible today in the Muslim world and, though less absurd than the polytheism of old, its social and political tendencies are in my opinion more to be feared, and I therefore regard it as a form of decadence rather than a form of progress in relation to paganism itself." Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859), French political scientist and historian.

But alas, the new normal is here, like it or not; and Pope Francis is leading the way along with many mega-preachers in this promotion that the God of Islam and the God Judaism and Christianity is one in the same. It could be. It should be. But it is not. Muhammad made up his very own.

"Jesus Christ, Jehovah, Allah. These are all names employed to describe an entity that is distinctly the same across the world. For centuries, blood has been needlessly shed because of the desire to segregate our faiths. This, however, should be the very concept which unites us as people, as nations, and as a world bound by faith. Together, we can bring about an unprecedented age of peace, all we need to achieve such a state is respect each others beliefs, for we are all children of God regardless of the name we choose to address him by. We can accomplish miraculous things in the world by merging our faiths, and the time for such a movement is now. No longer shall we slaughter our neighbors over differences in reference to their God." Pope Francis.

If Allah and Yahweh are one and the same, then God had a personality change. The God of Christianity and Judaism loves the Jews, they are his chosen. The lineage that God proclaimed went through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Ishmael's descendants included Mohammed, and God never mentioned Ishmael in the lineage.

So to all the apologists, to all be mega preachers, and to the Pope; read what Alexis de Tocqueville had to say. Read what our founding fathers had to say about Islam. You can read it for yourself right here.

Despite the Obama administration's fervent desire not to be embroiled in sectarian or regional conflicts in the Middle East, inaction and indecision are making things worse.

Hamas has a new ally in the Middle East. The ISIS affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula, known as ISIS Sinai Province or simply Sinai Province, is helping Hamas smuggle arms and other supplies into the Gaza Strip from Egypt. This new relationship is one of the many unforeseen consequences of the Arab Spring and the growing instability in the Middle East, bringing a fresh threat to America's Egyptian and Israeli allies. It's also more evidence of Iran's ambition to become a regional hegemon.

Hamas and Sinai Province are coordinating in a number of ways. Hamas is purchasing arms from the ISIS affiliate and giving the group military training (specifically on the use of antitank missiles). Hamas has also provided medical care for ISIS fighters in Gaza. Sinai Province occupies the territory where entrances to the smuggling tunnels to Gaza are located, thus making the ISIS affiliate a necessary strategic ally for Hamas. The two groups have also coordinated on attacks in the north of the Sinai Peninsula near the border with Israel, according to Egyptian officials. Hamas, of course, denies any such relationship.

There's more to this story than just the convenience of right time, right place. Hamas and ISIS have found their way to one another in the wake of the Arab Spring and a rearranging of allies and allegiances. To understand how we've gotten here, we need to sift through the chain reaction sparked by the instability that followed the Arab Spring.

The Arab Spring Rearranged Hamas' Allies

Prior to the Arab Spring, Hamas looked to Syria as one of its key allies, locating its external headquarters there and receiving aid in the form of funding and weapons. Iran, a Syrian ally, was also a major funder of the Sunni group. But when the Syrian uprising began in 2011, Hamas had to decide whether to side with the regime or the Sunni rebels who allied with Hamas' own close allies, the Muslim Brotherhood. Ultimately, Hamas sided with the rebels, declaring its support for the Syrian people and removing its external headquarters to Qatar in 2012. This, in turn, damaged Hamas' relationship with Iran, which was aiding Syrian President Bashar al Assad, and led to a falling-out between the two.

Meanwhile in Egypt, longtime authoritarian ruler Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a coup in 2011 following 18 days of protests. Mubarak had had a good working relationship with Hamas' rival Palestinian political group Fatah, but was at odds with Hamas. Once Mubarak fell and the Muslim Brotherhood was elected in 2012, Hamas leaders hoped they would now have friends in high places. Hamas, after all, has its roots in the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. Mohamed Morsi's positioning as president could only benefit them, especially when it came to the blockades on their tunnels to Egypt. Or so they thought.

Although the Morsi government was certainly friendly to Hamas and made many overtures of support for them, it did little to materially help the group during its short time in power. In just more than a year, Morsi was ousted by a military coup and replaced by Fatah al-Sisi, who not only doubled down on the Mubarak-era repression of the Muslim Brotherhood, but has since aggressively worked to destroy Gaza's smuggling tunnels into the Sinai Peninsula. This has left Hamas hard up for supplies and hurt Gaza's fragile economy.

How ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula Grew Out of the Arab Spring

Another outcome of the Arab Spring was of course the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and its affiliated arm in the Sinai Peninsula. The Salafi jihadist group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, based in the Sinai Peninsula, formed in 2011 in the wake of Mubarak's fall and the subsequent release of extremists from prison. It pledged allegiance to ISIS in November 2014 and is now commonly known as Sinai Province.

Sinai Province has now grown to about 1,000 members, with many coming from Bedouin tribes and former al-Qaeda members. However, they've also seen Egyptian recruits who were crestfallen when the military coup ousted Morsi. Having lost their faith that the political process could lead to Islamist rule, they radicalized and joined the jihadist group.

The ISIS affiliate in Sinai has been prolific in its attacks on Egyptian police, military, and civilians. They've fired rockets into southern Israel and attacked an Egyptian naval vessel. But perhaps most notably, they claimed responsibility for bringing down an Egyptian airliner in 2015, killing 224 people. Meanwhile, Al-Sisi's government has been aggressively fighting the group since the military coup in 2013.

Mubarak's fall, the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the coup that brought a hardline anti-Islamist to power all worked in concert with the instability in Iraq and civil war in Syria to create a perfect storm, putting Hamas and ISIS-Sinai Province in a position to help one another. In addition, the fall of Libya has allowed for more sophisticated weapons to flow into the region.

Hamas and ISIS Both Want to Destroy Israel

Officials say this is a relationship of convenience, pointing out that the two groups have little in common politically or ideologically. But this isn't entirely true. One important thing they share is that both Hamas and Sinai Province see Israel as their enemy and will look for opportunities to attack it. Hamas' position toward Israel is well known-their charter includes a call for destroying the Jewish state. But Sinai Province has its eyes on Israel as well.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the group is planning a big attack on southern Israel. A senior Salafist official in the Gaza Strip said Sinai Province is going to be a "pioneer" in confronting Israel, and that an attack is just a matter of time. The Israeli Defense Force confirmed they are expecting such an attack any day.

Although Sinai Province fighters had targeted Israel before pledging allegiance to ISIS, the directive to attack is now coming from ISIS headquarters as well. In recent weeks, ISIS has begun a propaganda push calling for recruits to come to the Sinai Peninsula and join the ISIS affiliate there with the promise of one day "liberating" Jerusalem and destroying Israel. They have put considerable resources into the coordinated release of 14 different videos meant to encourage people from Egypt and Sinai Peninsula to join the self-proclaimed caliphate's branch in the region. This indicates the extent to which ISIS views this affiliate as strategically important.

The alliance between ISIS and Hamas is a dangerous combination of forces, to be sure. ISIS-Sinai Province will no doubt take advantage of Hamas' years of experience attacking Israel, as well as their own experience before the fall of Morsi (when the Muslim Brotherhood was pushed out of power, the group switched its focus to the Egyptian state). But now that they have ISIS' backing, more recruits coming in, and Hamas' help, they will be better positioned once again to launch attacks into southern Israel. They will likewise surely utilize Hamas' drone technology. Hamas has already used drones to surveil Egyptian security forces in the northern Sinai Peninsula to secure its smuggling pipeline via ISIS, as well as on the Israeli-Egyptian border.

Hamas' cooperation with Sinai Province is also a way for Iran to support ISIS in the region. The Islamic Republic recommenced support for Hamas in 2015 and has since given millions of dollars to the group. Despite the sectarian differences between Shiite Iran and Sunni Hamas and ISIS, Iran is willing to help them both because of their joint interests in destroying Israel and destabilizing the Egyptian state. It is also another way for Iran to gain hegemony in the region and fight a proxy war against the United States.

This is just one example of the unforeseen effects of instability in the region, and it shows how domino effects can quickly pick up speed there. The consequences that military coups, revolutions, and civil wars bring, which quickly stretch out across borders and sectarian divides, are real. Despite the Obama administration's fervent desire not to be embroiled in sectarian or regional conflicts in the Middle East, inaction and indecision are making things worse. Whoever is our next president, we should all hope that he or she understands this and is prepared to take action.

Syrian opposition figures said Israeli warplanes struck targets belonging to the Shiite terror group Hezbollah in the Qalamoun Mountains along the Syria-Lebanon border, on Wednesday, according to Hebrew news sites citing Arab media.

The reports gave few details, saying only that the targets had been hit from the sky three times.

The Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday night it "will not comment" on the reports of a strike in Syria.

A Twitter account linked to Hezbollah denied that there had been any attack on its headquarters in Qalamoun.

The Qalamoun range is considered a key stronghold for Hezbollah, linking Damascus to eastern Lebanon, and is suspected to be used as a supply route for arms transfers between the regime and Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside President Bashar Assad's forces.

Earlier this month, Lebanese media reported Israel struck a weapons convoy of four trucks belonging to Hezbollah near Maarba, north of Damascus.

No one was killed in the August 4 air strike, according to the Mulhak news website.

An IDF spokesperson at the time declined to comment on the report.

Since the start of the Syrian civil war five years ago, a number of airstrikes in Syria have been attributed to Israel.

Hezbollah has thousands of fighters in Syria, providing military might to help Assad's regime put down the insurgency.

In May, Hezbollah said its top commander in Syria, Mustafa Badreddine, was killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike.

In April, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had carried out dozens of strikes against Hezbollah to prevent the group from obtaining advanced weapons - a rare Israeli admission of involvement in air attacks in Syria.

Twenty-five years after the end of the Cold War, how safe is America, or the world, from nuclear catastrophe? Not very.

That's the gloomy message from former Secretary of Defense William Perry, who has spent the past quarter-century focused on reducing the risk of nuclear disaster.

Part of the risk, of course, is there are now many more groups intent on inflicting mass destruction that we saw in the Sept. 11 attacks. But the seemingly old-fashion risk, that of a nuclear confrontation between nuclear powers like the United States or Russia, has not gone away either.

Another reason for concern: America and its closest nuclear competitors -- Russia, China, India and others -- are locked in an arms race intent on developing better, faster, more destructive weapons. In the U.S. defense officials have already warned Congress that they will need enormous sums, up to $450 billion over 20 years, and more beyond that, to overhaul America's aging and still-dominant nuclear arsenal. That means requests for new bombers, new subs and new missiles.

This all comes at the tail-end of a presidency that began, back in 2009, with an April speech in Prague in which President Barack Obama promised to work toward a nuclear-free world.

Why do you say that we're now at greater risk of nuclear disaster than ever?

It's been true for a good many years, we just haven't understood that. ... To understand why I say that, I have to break it down into categories of what a catastrophe might be.

The one we think of most is another nuclear holocaust. We think of the danger that we had during the Cold War of a nuclear holocaust. That danger is returning. It's returning because of the continually worsening relations with Russia. But it's not as bad as it was during the Cold War -- yet. So I don't mean to suggest the nuclear war is more likely than it was during the Cold War though it is more likely than it is thought to be.

In the meantime, we've got two new dangers that did not exist in the Cold War. One of them is the risk of a nuclear terrorist and the other is that of a regional nuclear war. For example, between India and Pakistan.

When you add those two into the equation, then the danger of some nuclear catastrophe becomes greater.

With regard to the risk of nuclear terrorism, is it simply because there are more people in the world who wish us harm? Or, has nuclear technology changed in a way that makes it easier to accomplish such an attack?

Both of those are true. The first is due to the rise over the last few decades of radical jihadism. We've faced terror groups for a good many decades. But typically, they would conduct terror instances to make a point and draw attention to themselves. They were not out for mass killings. When 9/11 occurred, we realized, we are now confronted with something different.

In the case of Al Qaeda, they were out to kill as many Americans as they could. The number on 9/11 happened to be a few thousand. We also know, they had a project trying to get a nuclear bomb, which happily they did not succeed in. The first and most important point is, there are now terror groups practicing radical jihadism who are out to kill vast numbers of Americans in the thousands or hundreds of tens of thousands instead of just a few dozen. That's new. That's just developed in the last several decades.

What also is new is that the access to fissile material has probably increased in the last few decades. More countries now have nuclear weapons. With the access to nuclear weapons in Pakistan and North Korea for example, that opens up more avenues by which a terrorist could get the fissile material by which he could make a bomb. And maybe even get a bomb itself.

The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, a year ahead of Bill Clinton taking office. You were his defense secretary. You said then that your top priority was to track down thousands of nukes - the so-called loose nukes problem -- in the former Soviet republics. Did you succeed?

Besides Russia, which had the capability of taking care of those weapons adequately, there were now nuclear weapons and a good many nuclear weapons in Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine. In total, there were several thousand nuclear weapons. These were not under any adequate control. That was my top priority when I became secretary. That problem had arisen a year earlier than that.

We got rid of all of those. Every one of them. All of those nuclear weapons were dismantled ... and in fact, that uranium is being used in American reactors through General Electric.

What has happened since then?

Since then India and Pakistan have built nuclear arsenals and North Korea has built a nuclear arsenal. Iran has had a nuclear program, which fortunately was short-stopped before it got to a nuclear arsenal.

But that presents many more opportunities for a terror group to get access, if not to a bomb itself, at least the fissile material from which they could perhaps make a bomb. It's much more dangerous now, because of the proliferation to those countries, particularly to Pakistan and North Korea, the ones I worry most about.

Specifically, what threat do these new national arsenals pose?

The more (nukes) there are in the world, the harder it is to keep track of for sure. But I worry about some countries more than others. I worry about Pakistan because we know there are within the Pakistani military, you might say renegade groups, who owe an allegiance to radical jihad and not to the government.

To this point, the government has kept that under control, but that is a particular danger that doesn't exist in other countries. In the case of North Korea, the danger is, this is a country that for a number of reasons, not the least the sanctions we imposed on them, is desperately poor. They might try to sell their fissile material or even bombs if somebody can pay them enough for it.

There are two very different dangers there, but they're both very real.

In the early decades of the Cold War, we heard a lot about so-called tactical nuclear weapons. We are hearing more about that now, again. Can you talk about that?

I am very much concerned about that. The idea that you can use a little bit of nuclear weapons, as a small-yield nuclear weapon, and contain it at that point, is extremely dangerous. Nobody that I know of, no government that I know of, has a credible strategy for preventing the escalations for a full-scale nuclear war. Any use of nuclear weapons has a very high danger of escalating to full use of nuclear weapons...

Many of these tactical nuclear weapons have the yield of the Hiroshima bomb. It's a confusing point to really refer to them as tactical when you consider the enormous damage they do. Even the lower-yield ones can do an enormous amount of damage.

This is a very dangerous idea. I'm very much opposed to the use of tactical weapons, most importantly to a policy by which we might purport to use tactical nuclear weapons, on the unproven theory that they would not escalate to a major war.

How did the idea of using tactical nuclear weapons -- raised again during the George W. Bush administration -- first gain traction?

I'm sorry to say the United States was the one who really introduced the idea of tactical nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, we were confronted in Europe from the Soviet Union that had about three times the size of the conventional military forces that we did.

As we thought, they had aggressive ambitions. Therefore, we believed our NATO forces would be swept right back to the Channel if the Russian forces moved in. We developed tactical nuclear weapons and we deployed them in Europe and we had a policy that if the Soviet Union attacked in Germany, we would use them...

We no longer have a policy of using tactical nuclear weapons to defend Europe...

When I was the Undersecretary of Defense in the late '70s, my primary focus was developing a set of conventional weapons, stealth and precision munitions and precision reconnaissance systems so that our conventional forces, even though smaller than those of the Soviet Union would be able to adequately defend without nuclear weapons.

That program was successful and the demonstrations are successful of the program was made in Iraq, where those new highly effective conventional weapons in three or four days' time defeated quite a large and well-equipped army, the Iraq Army.

So we have long since abandoned this policy ourselves. But the really bad news is that today Russia seems to have embraced a policy of using tactical nuclear weapons for that same purpose. If they feel their conventional forces are inferior or being overwhelmed by opposing forces, they would then use tactical nuclear forces to offset the other side's damage.

President Obama has recently proposed a massive overhauling of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. What does he have in mind? Does it make sense to you?

As long as Russia is adopting belligerent and aggressive policies in Europe against our allies, in which they see nuclear weapons as a part of that policy, then we have to maintain a strong deterrence...

So we will have some moderation program. I'm questioning the nature of the program. I do not think we should simply reproduce what we did during the Cold War, because that was 30 or 40 years ago when you conceived, designed and built other weapons and a lot has changed since then.

What do you make of the nuclear threat with North Korea?

We had an opportunity, I believe, to stop the North Korean nuclear program before they built an arsenal. That was back in 1999 and 2000.... [But] During the time of [George W.] Bush's presidency, they developed a nuclear weapon capability and actually tested a couple of nuclear weapons. In the last eight years under President Obama, they've tested more nuclear weapons and started building an arsenal.

I don't think we're going to be able to get an agreement now. It was one thing getting them to agree not to build an arsenal, but it's a much, much harder task to get them to agree to give up an arsenal they already have.

Did you know that our planet will be hit by more than 100,000 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater this year alone? Earlier today, I came across a report that contained this amazing fact, but it was so incredible that I felt that I had to go and verify it myself. So I went to the official USGS website, and I found out that this is actually true. Overall, there are about half a million earthquakes around the globe each year, but it is only when a quake is of about magnitude 3.0 or greater that humans actually feel them. As the very large earthquakes in Italy and Myanmar within the last 24 hours have demonstrated, the shaking of our planet is getting worse, and this is something that I have written about over and over again. So why is this happening? Why does the crust of our planet seemingly become more and more unstable with each passing year?

We need to start addressing those questions, because there aren't too many things that can do more damage to a community than a major earthquake. Very early Wednesday morning, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck central Italy. It is being reported that it sounded "like a bomb" went off, and it looks like this is going to end up being the worst natural disaster to hit Italy in many years.

This earthquake rattled buildings in Rome, it could be felt in Naples to the south, and it is even being claimed that it could be felt all the way up in Bologna in the north.

The epicenter of the quake was a charming little Italian town known as Amatrice. According to Mayor Sergio Pirozzi, "the town is no more" at this point. You can see some amazing photographs of the destruction for yourself right here. Homes, churches and businesses collapsed in heaps of rubble, and at this moment rescuers are engaged in a frantic race against time to pull survivors from the wreckage...

Rescue teams using bulldozers, and aided by townspeople with their bare hands, were still poring through the piles of rock, metal and wood late Wednesday looking for possible survivors. Police near the town of Ascoli said they could hear cries for help from under the rubble but lacked the heavy equipment to move the rocks, according the RAI radio.

So far, the death toll stands at 159 people, but that number is going to go way up as more bodies are discovered. The following was reported by Reuters...

One hotel that collapsed in the small town of Amatrice probably had about 70 guests, and only seven bodies had so far been recovered, said the mayor of the town that was one of the worst hit by the quake.

But as destructive as the Italian quake was, it wasn't even the largest earthquake on the globe on Wednesday. A huge magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Myanmar, but because that earthquake was much deeper it didn't do the same level of damage as the quake in Italy did...

A powerful earthquake shook Myanmar on Wednesday, killing at least three people and damaging nearly a hundred ancient Buddhist pagodas in the former capital of Bagan, a major tourist site, officials said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.8 quake was centered about 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Chauk, a town south of Bagan. It was located fairly far below the Earth's surface at a depth of about 84 kilometers (52 miles), it said.

Sadly, most Americans couldn't care less about what goes on in places like Italy or Myanmar. I know that may sound terrible, but it is true.

However, Americans should care, because this global rise in earthquake activity is affecting us as well. In fact, the USGS now says that human activity may at least be partially to blame for the "dramatic increase in seismicity" that we have been witnessing in the United States in recent years...

On Monday, for the first time, the U.S. Geological Survey has released an analysis of the magnitude of "human-induced" earthquakes. That such a thing as human-induced earthquakes can exist is scary enough, but the "dramatic increase in seismicity" in places such as Oklahoma has forced the USGS to consider the threat more broadly.

"By including human-induced events, our assessment of earthquake hazards has significantly increased in parts of the U.S.," said Mark Petersen, chief of the USGS National Seismic Hazard Mapping Project, in a statement. "This research also shows that much more of the nation faces a significant chance of having damaging earthquakes over the next year, whether natural or human-induced."

And I wanted to note that there was a magnitude 3.9 earthquake in Colorado on Tuesday. We have started to see sizable earthquakes in many portions of the country where they are not expected, and this is going to continue to get worse as the shaking of our planet intensifies.

There is one more thing that I wanted to share with you all today. I don't know if this is related to anything, but a blood red moon was photographed directly behind the new World Trade Center tower last night. To some people this is just a meaningless coincidence, but there are others that consider it to be a very ominous sign.

This summer, things have been relatively calm and peaceful in America. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have dominated the headlines, but other than the election there really hasn't been a major crisis that has grabbed the attention of the nation.

But of course all of that could change in a moment. Despite all of our advanced technology, the truth is that we are still virtually defenseless against a major natural disaster.

Scientists tell us that it is inevitable that a great New Madrid earthquake will shake the center of the country. They also tell us that it is inevitable that there will be a major earthquake in southern California, that volcanoes on the west coast will erupt again, and that the Yellowstone supervolcano could wipe out much of the country in a single day.

As global seismic activity continues to rise, it is just a matter of time before a string of historic disasters hits this nation.

Unfortunately, I am convinced that this could happen a lot sooner than most people would dare to imagine.

​

My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?"

Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not?

Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update

We all face trials. Just when we think we have the world by the tail things can go wrong. Maybe that's the problem...having the world by the tail instead of taking God by the hand. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33. Troubles are a part of living this life, and they come to Christian and non-Christian alike. No matter what we face, Christians have the assurance that Christ is with us. I've often wondered how people who reject God or walk far from Him are able to face a crisis. Jesus loves me, yes I know; He loves you too. That blessed hope will be our guide through every trial we will ever face. From a job interview to walking through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with us every step of the way.

Sometimes the problems we face are because our bodies wear out and...well, things just happen. On the other hand many of our troubles are of our own making. Possibly you can't pay your bills because you have over-spent your budget. Have you been fired from a job because you've been habitually late, or continually make personal phone calls? Sometimes our health fails, but is that lung disease caused by years of smoking cigarettes? Maybe you have AIDs because you've made choices that contradict God's laws. You see, many times we try to blame God for choices we make. The world is ruled by Satan, but Jesus has overcome the world. Surrender your life to Him and obey His word and you just might have less troubles. "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." 1 John 5:19. Wickedness is of Satan; he is our enemy. Jesus has defeated Satan and when you walk with Jesus you don't walk in the world.

It's easy to question God when trouble or illness comes our way. We think that once we accept Christ as our Saviour, life will be smooth sailing. No more hurt, conflict, sickness, or trials. Well, wouldn't that be nice. The fact is that our future Home with God will be perfect, but as we walk through this life and live in these mortal bodies we will suffer the same problems as those who are un-saved. The difference is that Christians have Jesus to lean on. We can look at the lives of the Apostles and see that persecution, imprisonment, and death all came against them. John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, Peter was crucified upside down, James (John's brother) was killed with a sword, and so on. Their faith kept them strong in the face of trials. The Apostle Paul also faced many challenges. In his letter to the Corinthians he speaks of a "thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan". What this thorn was is a matter of much speculation, but Paul prayed three times for God to take it away. It wasn't removed but Paul's faith wasn't diminished. God told him "...My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9. We all want to be healthy and whole with no trials or temptations. When we learn to focus on what's important (Christ, and Him crucified) we will realize that God's grace is sufficient.

Paul learned a lot in life and we can learn from his letters. As he travelled from place to place proclaiming the Gospel he suffered many things. In addition to the "thorn in the flesh", he was shipwrecked, snake bit, beaten, persecuted, and imprisoned. In spite of all he faced he was content. "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Philippians 4:11-12. What had he learned from all his trials? "I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." Philippians 4:13. So can we. Our strength is also through Christ and He will strengthen us when faced with persecution, illness, temptation, or any other problem that comes along. It's up to you whether you allow the problems to beat you or to allow Christ to be your strength.

There's no easy way to learn to trust God in all things, it takes experience. When you're faced with a problem, pray. Ask for strength and guidance. Trials can help our faith to increase if we allow them to. The trick is to trust Jesus in little things and when big things come along you will have learned to trust Him. Prayer is always where to start. Go to Him in faith knowing that He is willing to guide you in all things. When you pray, humbly present your request before Him but always submit to His will because His plan is always perfect even if we don't always understand. Study His word for guidance. When facing a challenge, strength can be found in the Psalms. David had many challenges in his life, but even as a young man he knew to trust in the Lord. When he faced Goliath he had no fear because he knew God had helped him kill a lion and a bear, so why wouldn't He help to slay a giant. When David's infant son died he knew that one day, after his own death, he would see his son again because he trusted God in all things. Whenever David faced trials he went to the Lord. There are many beautiful and encouraging Psalms that have come from David's trust in the Lord. David also praised God in the good times. That's important for us to learn. Too often we only run to the Lord in our times of need and we forget to thank Him for everything. "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Notice it says "in everything" not "for everything". Thank Him in the good times because those mountain top experiences bring joy, but also thank Him in the valleys because that's where we grow, where our faith is strengthened.

Does God give us problems and illness in order to make our faith strong? No. God created a perfect place for Adam and Eve to live, but Satan lied and convinced them to disobey God. He still lies to us today and listening to him causes problems. God's law tells us not to steal, so if you choose to rob a bank and go to jail that isn't God's fault. God is specific about the sanctity of a one man one woman marriage, but most people follow Satan's lies and disease follows. We are all touched by the corruption brought on by the god of this world, so don't blame God for troubles. On the other hand, if you stand firm in God's love and draw strength from Him in times of trial you will be an example to others around you. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. What is intended for evil can be turned around if you seek God's guidance and strength. Then, when you see someone suffering what you went through you can tell them how you found strength in the Lord, share the Gospel, and possibly bring someone to a saving faith in Jesus.

"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." 2 Corinthians 2:14. All victory is found in Christ. Whether your problems be big or small, He cares. Pray, read His word, and honor Him always. The troubles of this life are short compared to eternity, and He promised Christians a mansion. Trust Him and let Him be your strength in times of trouble.

Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign is not denying that the Clinton Foundation took money from people in exchange for meetings at the State Department. Clinton's campaign, however, is attacking the veracity of the story by saying that Associate Press, who broke the story that Clinton operated a pay to play scheme for favors and access to her at the State Department, only studied a small sample of the number of meetings where there was money offered for favors. The fact, remains, however, that AP found a documented pattern and a notable system of corruption. This story confirms what was reported Monday by government investigative watchdog, Judicial Watch.

Judicial Watch released 725 of new State Department documents and 20 previously unreleased emails, in which the former Secretary of State's top aide Huma Abedin "provided influential Clinton Foundation donors special, expedited access to the secretary of state. In many instances, the preferential treatment provided to donors was at the specific request of Clinton Foundation executive Douglas Band." Judicial Watch says, "These records further appear to contradict statements by Clinton that, "as far as she knew," all of her government emails were turned over to the State Department." These and the AP investigation reveal an elaborate scheme to enrich the Clintons while she was Secretary of State.

Judicial Watch states: "The Abedin emails reveal that the longtime Clinton aide apparently served as a conduit between Clinton Foundation donors and Hillary Clinton while Clinton served as secretary of state. In more than a dozen email exchanges, Abedin provided expedited, direct access to Clinton for donors who had contributed from $25,000 to $10 million to the Clinton Foundation. In many instances, Clinton Foundation top executive Doug Band, who worked with the Foundation throughout Hillary Clinton's tenure at State, coordinated closely with Abedin. In Abedin's June deposition to Judicial Watch, she conceded that part of her job at the State Department was taking care of "Clinton family matters."

Worse yet, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Monday that there were no improprieties with Abedin or Clinton because that's simply "evidence of the way the process works." Ever wonder how third world dictators become so wealthy? Hillary Clinton just showed the world how it's done in America. She fleeced people for access and enriched herself in doing so. Clinton used the State Department as her little dictatorship and received bribes. In Exodus 23:8 the Lord says, "And you shall take no bribe: for the bribe blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous." Some translations say a bribe subverts the cause of the just. Is there no end to Clinton's dishonesty?

My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed-cut off from Christ!-if that would save them. -Romans 9:2-3

The apostle Paul had something essential for effective evangelism: a God-given burden for those who did not know Jesus Christ. In his case, the burden was for his own people, the Jews. He cared. It burned inside him.

General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, once said that his desire, had it been possible, would be to dangle his evangelism trainees over hell for 24 hours. That way, they could see the reality that awaits those who do not know Jesus Christ.

That wouldn't have been necessary for Paul, who spoke of his love and burning passion for unbelievers. I think it is there for us in Scripture so that we don't become so obsessed with our own struggles and spiritual growth that we forget about people who need to know Christ.

I think Paul makes an amazing statement in Romans 9 when he says, in essence, "If it were possible, I would give up my hope of eternal life so that others who do not know could come to faith." That's a pretty dramatic statement.

As believers, you and I have a responsibility to those outside the church-those outside the faith. If God's love is really working in our lives, it should motivate us to do something for Him.

If you pray that God will give you this burden, then be careful. The results could be life-changing. You just may be surprised at how quickly He answers you.

FROM THE HEARTIF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks!

If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now!What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake?"Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!"

"Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey

1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack.

2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others.

3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know.

4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update.

I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks!

Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13